History UsefulNotes / Charlemagne

* He is mentioned in ''Videogame/AssassinsCreedValhalla'' as a member of the Order of the Ancients (the setting's precursor to the Templars) and despite his position as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was simply exploiting religion for his own benefit. The "Siege of Paris" DLC allows Eivor to attain Joyeuse as a weapon.

* He is mentioned in ''Videogame/AssassinsCreedValhalla'' as a member of the Order of the Ancients (the setting's precursor to the Templars) and despite his position as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was simply exploiting religion for his own benefit.

* Charlemagne's Coronation as Emperor is a popular subject in Medieval and Renaissance art, considered to be a real-life AwesomeMomentOfCrowning. Raphael Sabatini painted a [[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Raphael_Charlemagne.jpg famous version]] which still decorates the Papal residence in Vatican City.

* He is mentioned in ''Videogame/AssassinsCreedValhalla'' as a member of the Order of the Ancients (the setting's precursor to the Templars) and despite his position as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was simply exploiting religion for his own benefit.

** [[Literature/LordOfTheRings Aragorn]] might qualify as a Charlemagne stand-in as well, since he resurrects the Kingdom of Arnor, which stands in pretty well for Western Rome. That said, he also reunites it with its Southeastern counterpart Gondor (whereas Charlemagne's Frankish kingdom never remerged with Byzantium) and is crowned by a wizard rather than a pope.
* There was a 1993 European coproduction {{biopic}} MiniSeries titled ''Charlemagne'' (''Charlemagne, le prince à cheval'' in francophone countries -- literally "The prince on his horse"). It's the last time any major live-action media has made him center stage in a fiction.

Speaking of which, not unlike [[UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan a certain other similar conqueror]], Charlemagne [[ReallyGetsAround got himself around.]] He had several wives and mistresses over the course of his life, and among them all, had close to twenty children. The royal families of England, France, Italy, and several German states can claim him as a distant ancestor. Not to mention a whopping 34 of the 46 U.S. Presidents, and [[Creator/ChristopherLee at least one awesome movie icon]]. He is also one of the rare ruling figures to have equal importance in both French and German nationalisms, a division of the [[UsefulNotes/NazisWithGnarlyWeapons Waffen SS]] made of French volunteers (the 33rd) was even named after him during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.

* Sigmar Heldenhammer of ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'' is as clear a [[NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed fantasy stand-in]] for Charlemagne as you can get. Sigmar would go down in history for conquering and uniting numerous quarreling Germanic-sounding tribes into a great kingdom that would evolve after his death into a great Empire. Plus, Sigmar was deified upon death, while Charlemagne was beatified [[note]] Basically the Church's way of compromising between "Sainthood" (which they weren't prepared to grant Charlie) and "local folk hero" (which, like it or not, he was)[[/note]]. Also of note: Charlemagne had his twelve Paladins, and Sigmar had twelve subordinate chieftains to whom he gave the Runefangs.

* {{Realpolitik}}: You don't get to be ''Imperator Romanorum'' without knowing how to play the game, and Charlemagne sure knew how. By the 9th Century, the title was more a symbolic one than anything else, but Charlemagne used that symbolic authority to press his territorial ambitions to the fullest extent possible: being crowned Emperor by the Pope effectively meant that Charlemagne had the tacit approval of ''God Himself'' to govern Western Europe as he saw fit, and he did not hesitate to do so. Meanwhile, Charlemagne was a piece on the Papacy's board in their game against UsefulNotes/TheByzantineEmpire. Byzantium was the successor state to the old Roman Empire, and had in fact held Rome itself for the better part of two centuries until 754. It also had both the political and economic muscle to back up its claim to succession, being one of the most powerful polities around the Mediterranean, leaving the traditional local authority of Rome at the risk of fading into irrelevancy. The emergence of a powerful local king who was willing to support the Papacy gave Rome the opportunity to reassert itself as the legitimate authority in Western Europe. The fact that Constantinople was currently being ruled by an ''Empress'' (Irene Sarantapechaina) didn't hurt either when Charlemagne was declared the new Roman ''Emperor''.

* {{Realpolitik}}: You don't get to be ''Imperator Romanorum'' without knowing how to play the game, and Charlemagne sure knew how. By the 9th Century, the title was more a symbolic one than anything else, but Charlemagne used that symbolic authority to press his territorial ambitions to the fullest extent possible: being crowned Emperor by the Pope effectively meant that Charlemagne had the tacit approval of ''God Himself'' to govern Western Europe as he saw fit, and he did not hesitate to do so. Meanwhile, Charlemagne was a piece on the Papacy's board in their game against UsefulNotes/TheByzantineEmpire. Byzantium was the successor state to the old Roman Empire, and had in fact held Rome itself for the better part of two centuries until 754. It also had both the political and economic muscle to back up its claim to succession, being one of the most powerful polities around the Mediterranean, leaving Rome at the risk of fading into irrelevancy. The emergence of a powerful local king who was willing to support the Papacy gave Rome the opportunity to reassert itself as the legitimate authority in Western Europe. The fact that Constantinople was currently being ruled by an ''Empress'' (Irene Sarantapechaina) didn't hurt either when Charlemagne was declared the new Roman ''Emperor''.

* {{Realpolitik}}: You don't get to be ''Imperator Romanorum'' without knowing how to play the game, and Charlemagne sure knew how. By the 9th Century, the title was more a symbolic one than anything else, but Charlemagne used that symbolic authority to press his interests in Western Europe to the fullest extent possible: being crowned Emperor by the Pope effectively meant that Charlemagne had the tacit approval of ''God Himself'' to govern Western Europe as he saw fit, and he did not hesitate to do so. Meanwhile, Charlemagne was a piece on the Papacy's board in their game against UsefulNotes/TheByzantineEmpire. Byzantium was the successor to the old Roman Empire, and had held Rome itself until 754. It also had both the political and economic muscle to back up its claim to succession, being one of the most powerful polities around the Mediterranean, leaving Rome itself at the risk of fading into irrelevancy. The emergence of a powerful local warlord who was willing to defend and support the Vatican gave Rome the opportunity to reassert itself as the legitimate authority in Western Europe. The fact that Constantinople was currently being ruled by an ''Empress'' (Irene Sarantapechaina) didn't hurt either when Charlemagne was declared the new Roman ''Emperor''.

* {{Realpolitik}}: You don't get to be ''Imperator Romanorum'' without knowing how to play the game, and Charlemagne sure knew how. By the 9th Century, the title was more a symbolic one than anything else, but Charlemagne used that symbolic authority to press his interests in Western Europe to the fullest extent possible: the Pope's bestowing of the title upon Charlemagne effectively meant that his actions as Emperor had the tacit approval of ''God Himself''. Conversely, Charlemagne was also a piece on the Papacy's board. At the time, the Eastern Roman Empire a.k.a. UsefulNotes/TheByzantineEmpire was the successor to the Roman Empire, and had held Rome itself until 754. It also had both the political and economic muscle to back up that claim, being one of the most powerful polities around the Mediterranean, leaving Rome itself at the risk of fading into irrelevancy. The emergence of a powerful local warlord who was willing to defend and support the Vatican gave Rome the opportunity to reassert itself as the legitimate authority in Western Europe. The fact that Constantinople was currently being ruled by an ''Empress'' (Irene Sarantapechaina) didn't hurt either when Charlemagne was declared the new Roman ''Emperor''.

* CoolSword: ''Joyeuse,'' said to be gold-plated, encrusted with multicolored gems, and forged from ThunderboltIron. Or from a piece of TheSpearOfDestiny. Or from the remains of [[UsefulNotes/AttilaTheHun Attila the Hun's]] Sword of Mars. Depends on who's telling the story, really.

* {{Realpolitik}}: You don't get to be ''Imperator Romanorum'' without knowing how to play the game, and Charlemagne sure knew how. On top of that, Charlemagne himself was a piece on the Papacy's board. At the time, the Eastern Roman Empire a.k.a. UsefulNotes/TheByzantineEmpire was the successor to the Roman Empire, and had held Rome itself until 754. It also had both the political and economic muscle to back up that claim, being one of the most powerful polities around the Mediterranean, leaving Rome itself at the risk of fading into irrelevancy. The emergence of a powerful local warlord who was willing to defend and support the Vatican gave Rome the opportunity to reassert itself as the legitimate authority in Western Europe. The fact that Constantinople was currently being ruled by an ''Empress'' (Irene Sarantapechaina) didn't hurt either when Charlemagne was declared the new Roman ''Emperor''.

* NamedWeapons: The aforementioned CoolSword ''Joyeuse.'' It's also the name of a medieval sword currently on display in the Louvre that was once used in coronation ceremonies during the time of French monarchy. Testing has revealed that at least some part of extant blade could have been made in the 8th or early 9th Centuries, but it's extremely unlikely to be the same sword Charlemagne wielded.

* NamedWeapons: The aforementioned CoolSword ''Joyeuse.'' It's also the name of a medieval sword currently hanging in the Louvre that was once used in coronation ceremonies during the time of French monarchy. Testing has revealed that at least some part of extant blade could have been made in the 8th or early 9th Centuries, but it's extremely unlikely to be the same sword Charlemagne wielded.

* CoolSword: ''Joyeuse,'' said to be forged from ThunderboltIron. Or from a piece of TheSpearOfDestiny. Or from the remains of [[UsefulNotes/AttilaTheHun Attila the Hun's]] Sword of Mars. Depends on who's telling the story, really.

'''Charles the Great''' aka '''Charlemagne''' or '''Charles I''' (2 April 742 – 28 January 814). King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and ''Imperator Romanorum''. Established the Carolingian Empire. Fostered the spread of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} throughout Western UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}. Crowned the first Roman Emperor in over three centuries since the end of the actual [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Western Roman Empire]], sowing the seeds of what would become the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire. Shed the blood of four thousand Saxon men.

Such a service to the Church did not go unrewarded, for on Christmas Day, 800, Leo bestowed upon Charlemagne the title of ''Carlo Augustus, Imperator Romanorum'': '''Charles the Great, [[TheEmperor Emperor]] of the Romans'''. The first to bear that title in Western Europe since 476, Charlemagne’s power in the region was now pretty near absolute, and he almost immediately put that power to use. He began to institute widespread reform throughout the lands he controlled, introducing standardized codes of law, repairing roads, and encouraging the growth of centers of art and learning. His reign as Emperor is referred to by historians as the “Carolingian Renaissance,” and is commonly held to mark the end – or at least, the beginning of the end – of [[Main/DarkAgeEurope The Dark Ages]].

How much of that reputation is rooted in fact, however, is not certain. Charlemagne’s reign as King of the Franks was a period of almost constant warfare, first in building his empire, and then in maintaining it against rebellious tribes and ambitious underlords. It was a brutal world that Charlemagne was born into, and he couldn’t very well get as far as he did without being equal to the brutality that surrounded him. One infamous incident occurs during his campaigns against the Saxons. Charlemagne instituted [[JoinOrDie a strict "Convert or Die" policy]] toward the Germanic pagans, and at the city of Verden he was forced to put his dedication to this policy to a very dark test, executing over four thousand captive Saxons who refused to embrace Christianity. Of course, violence on this scale was hardly unheard of in the Dark Ages, but the wholesale slaughter of unarmed prisoners is something of a black mark on the record of the man traditionally held up as a shining example of all that is good and just.

* {{Cincinnatus}}: A key component of the folklore surrounding Charlemagne was that he did not actively seek to be named Emperor, that it was a reward bestowed upon him by the Pope for his service. It's not clear from historical sources how much of that is true, but considering that the title of ''Imperator Romanorum'' was a purely honorary one by that point in history - albeit one that Charlemagne just happened to be able to back up with actual military might - there might be something to it. Some stories even have Charlemagne taken completely unawares by the Coronation, with Leo and his courtiers coming around and springing it on him like some kind of surprise party.

* {{Realpolitik}}: You don't get to be ''Imperator Romanorum'' without knowing how to play the game, and Charlemagne sure knew how. On top of that, Charlemagne himself was a piece on the Papacy's board. At the time, UsefulNotes/TheByzantineEmpire saw itself as the successor to the Roman Empire - and had both the political and economic muscle to back up that claim - leaving Rome itself at the risk of fading into irrelevancy. The emergence of a powerful local warlord who was willing to defend and support the Vatican gave Rome the opportunity to reassert itself as the legitimate authority in Western Europe. The fact that Byzantium was currently being ruled by an ''Empress'' (Irene Sarantapechaina) didn't hurt either when Charlemagne was declared the new Roman ''Emperor''.

* Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium: Middle-Earth being a FantasyCounterpartCulture of Dark-Age Europe, there are a few examples to be found:

Speaking of which, not unlike [[UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan a certain other similar conqueror]], Charlemagne [[ReallyGetsAround got himself around.]] He had several wives and mistresses over the course of his life, and among them all, had close to twenty children. The royal families of England, France, Italy, and several German states can claim him as a distant ancestor. Not to mention a whopping 34 of the 45 U.S. Presidents, and [[Creator/ChristopherLee at least one awesome movie icon]]. He is also one of the rare ruling figures to have equal importance in both French and German nationalisms, a division of the [[UsefulNotes/NazisWithGnarlyWeapons Waffen SS]] made of French volunteers (the 33rd) was even named after him during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.

'''Charles the Great''' aka '''Charlemagne''' or '''Charles I''' (2 April 742 – 28 January 814). King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and ''Imperator Romanorum''. Established the Carolingian Empire. Fostered the spread of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} throughout Western UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}. Crowned the first Roman Emperor in almost four centuries since the end of the actual [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Western Roman Empire]], sowing the seeds of what would become the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire. Shed the blood of four thousand Saxon men.

Such a service to the Church did not go unrewarded, for on Christmas Day, 800, Leo bestowed upon Charlemagne the title of ''Carlo Augustus, Imperator Romanorum'': '''Charles the Great, [[TheEmperor Emperor]] of the Romans'''. The first to bear that title in Western Europe since 476, Charlemagne’s power in Western Europe was pretty near absolute, and he almost immediately put that power to use. He began to institute widespread reform throughout the lands he controlled, introducing standardized codes of law, repairing roads, and encouraging the growth of centers of art and learning. His reign as Emperor is referred to by historians as the “Carolingian Renaissance,” and is commonly held to mark the end – or at least, the beginning of the end – of [[Main/DarkAgeEurope The Dark Ages]].

** His empire is sometimes seen as a precursor for [[UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion the European Union]] (as the last political entity that unified Western Europe). The union of the founding member States of the EU (West Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy) correspond roughly to the Carolingian Empire. Incidentally, the European Commission is housed in the Charlemagne Building.

* Charlemagne's Coronation as Emperor is a popular subject in Medieval and Renaissance art, considered to be a real-life AwesomeMomentOfCrowning. Raphael Sabatini did a [[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Raphael_Charlemagne.jpg famous version]] which still decorates the Papal residence in Vatican City.

* Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium: Elendil the Tall, last Lord of Numenor, is a kind of fantasy {{Expy}} of Charlemagne. An exceptionally tall [[TheGoodKing Good King]] with a CoolSword, who founds a realm of peace and order after the fall of a greater one...and whose kingdom is torn apart by internal strife after his death (Arnor does hold itself together a bit longer than the Carolingian Empire, but their fates are still the same).
** [[Literature/LordOfTheRings Aragorn]] might qualify as a Charlemagne stand-in as well, since he resurrects the Kingdom of Arnor, which stands in pretty well for Western Rome. That said, he also reunites it with its Eastern (well, Southern) counterpart Gondor (whereas Charlemagne's Frankish kingdom never remerged with Byzantium) and is crowned by a wizard rather than a pope.

As a political entity, Charlemagne’s empire was short-lived. Following his death in 814, his sole surviving legitimate son Louis took the throne. His reign was marked by unrest and civil war, and following ''his'' death in 840 his three sons divided the empire up between them, marking the end of a united Carolingian kingdom. As a cultural force, however, his empire's impact outlived him. The peace and stability Charlemagne's reign brought to Western Europe established the foundations for a stronger, more egalitarian society, with a greater sense of cultural unity than before. Western Europe had been a battleground for the better part of four centuries, host to intertribal warfare, barbarian invasions, disease, and death. The psychological impact of suddenly having one benevolent overlord who really did seem to be interested in creating a better world cannot be underestimated. In the chivalric traditions, Charlemagne is depicted as the proverbial [[TheGoodKing Good King]], on par with Myth/KingArthur and Louis IX/Saint Louis as a paragon of wisdom, justice, and piety.

* There was a 1993 European coproduction {{biopic}} MiniSeries titled ''Charlemagne'' (''Charlemagne, le prince à cheval'' -- literally "The prince on his horse"). It's the last time any major live-action media has made him center stage in a fiction.

* Series/CovingtonCross: In one episode, the Family Grey visits the Duke of Arundel, who collects antique weaponry, including a suit of armor alleged to belong to Charlemagne. When the Duke's castle is attacked, ShellShockedVeteran Armus snaps out of it long enough to don to the armor and fight off the attackers.

Speaking of which, not unlike [[UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan a certain other similar conqueror]], Charlemagne [[ReallyGetsAround got himself around.]] He had several wives and mistresses over the course of his life, and among them all, had close to twenty children. The royal families of England, France, Italy, and several German states can claim him as a distant ancestor. Not to mention a whopping 34 of the 45 U.S. Presidents, and [[Creator/ChristopherLee at least one awesome movie icon]]. He is also one of the rare kings to have equal importance in both French and German nationalisms, a division of the [[UsefulNotes/NazisWithGnarlyWeapons Waffen SS]] made of French volunteers (the 33rd) was even named after him during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.

Speaking of which, not unlike [[UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan a certain other similar conqueror]], Charlemagne [[ReallyGetsAround got himself around.]] He had several wives and mistresses over the course of his life, and among them all, had close to twenty children. The royal families of England, France, Italy, and several German states can claim him as a distant ancestor. Not to mention a whopping 34 of the 45 U.S. Presidents, and [[Creator/ChristopherLee at least one awesome movie icon]]. He is also one of the rare kings to have equal important in both French and German nationalisms, a division of the [[UsefulNotes/NazisWithGnarlyWeapons Waffen SS]] made of French volunteers (the 33rd) was even named after him during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.

Speaking of which, not unlike [[UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan a certain other similar conqueror]], Charlemagne [[ReallyGetsAround got himself around.]] He had several wives and mistresses over the course of his life, and among them all, had close to twenty children. The royal families of England, France, Italy, and several German states can claim him as a distant ancestor. Not to mention a whopping 34 of the 45 U.S. Presidents, and [[Creator/ChristopherLee at least one awesome movie icon]].

'''Charles the Great''' aka '''Charlemagne''' or '''Charles I''' (2 April 742 – 28 January 814). King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and ''Imperator Romanorum''. Established the Carolingian Empire. Fostered the spread of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} throughout Western UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}. Crowned the first Roman Emperor in almost four centuries since the end of the actual [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Western Roman empire]], sowing the seeds of what would become the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire. Shed the blood of four thousand Saxon men.

'''Charles the Great''' aka '''Charlemagne''' or '''Charles I''' (2 April 742 – 28 January 814). King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and ''Imperator Romanorum''. Established the Carolingian Empire. Fostered the spread of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} throughout Western UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}. Crowned the first Roman Emperor in almost four centuries since the end of the actual [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Western Roman empire]], sowing the early seeds of what would become the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire. Shed the blood of four thousand Saxon men.

The son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon (aka "Bertha Broadfoot"), as well as grandson of the legendary [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Charles “The Hammer” Martel]], Charles was born into the brutal and cutthroat world that was 8th-Century Europe. Both his father and grandfather had grand ambitions to quell the internal power struggles that plagued the Frankish kingdom and build a larger, more stable empire. But Charlemagne was the one who actually pulled it off, and he pulled it off so brilliantly that he is still regarded as one of the greatest leaders in European history, the inspiration for many statesmen and would-be conquerors throughout history...for better or for worse.

As a political entity, Charlemagne’s empire was short-lived. Following his death in 814, his sole surviving legitimate son Louis took the throne. His reign was marked by unrest and civil war, and following ''his'' death in 840 his three sons divided the empire up between them, marking the end of a united Carolingian kingdom. As a cultural force, however, his empire's impact outlived him. The peace and stability Charlemagne's reign brought to Western Europe established the foundations for a stronger, more egalitarian society, with a greater sense of cultural unity than before. Western Europe had been a battleground for the better part of four centuries, host to intertribal warfare, barbarian invasions, disease, and death. The psychological impact of suddenly having one benevolent overlord who really did seem to be interested in creating a better world cannot be underestimated. In the chivalric traditions, Charlemagne is depicted as the proverbial [[TheGoodKing Good King]], on par with Myth/KingArthur as a paragon of wisdom, justice, and piety.

'''Charles the Great''' aka '''Charlemagne''' or '''Charles I''' (2 April 742 – 28 January 814). King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and ''Imperator Romanorum''. Established the Carolingian Empire. Fostered the spread of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} throughout Western UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}. Crowned the first Roman Emperor in almost four centuries since the end of the actual [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Western Roman empire]], sowing the early seeds of what would be known as the UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire. Shed the blood of four thousand Saxon men.

'''Charles the Great''' aka '''Charlemagne''' or '''Charles I''' (2 April 742 – 28 January 814). King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and ''Imperator Romanorum''. Established the Carolingian Empire. Fostered the spread of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} throughout Western UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}. Crowned the first Roman Emperor in almost four centuries since the end of the actual [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Western Roman empire]], sowing the early seeds of what would be known as UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire. Shed the blood of four thousand Saxon men.

'''Charles the Great''' aka '''Charlemagne''' or '''Charles I''' (2 April 742 – 28 January 814). King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and ''Imperator Romanorum''. Established the Carolingian Empire. Fostered the spread of UsefulNotes/{{Christianity}} throughout Western UsefulNotes/{{Europe}}. Crowned the first Roman Emperor in almost four centuries since the end of the actual [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire Western Roman empire]]. Shed the blood of four thousand Saxon men.

Not much is known for certain about Charlemagne’s early life. He was born some time around 742, in what is now Belgium. He was apparently very well educated; he was literate (which was a big deal back then, even for royalty), and spoke several languages, including Latin and Greek. With the death of Pepin in 768, in accordance with Frankish tradition, his kingdom was divided evenly between his sons Charles and Carloman. Despite working together to quell an Aquitanian uprising early in their reigns, the two brothers were almost constantly at each other’s throats. After a diplomatic falling out between Charles and the Lombards of northern Italy, Carloman was just about ready to ally himself with the Lombards and go to open war with his brother...when Carloman suddenly, ''conveniently'', died of illness in 771. This left Charles as now sole ruler of the Franks, at which point he promptly got down to business conquering the known world.

Lombardy was first on the list. Forming an alliance with Pope Adrian I, Charlemagne rolled into northern Italy, besieging the Lombards at Verona and Pavia, and accepting their surrender in the summer of 774. In gratitude, the Pope bestowed upon him the title of ''patrician'' [[note]] a vaguely-defined title of legal authority, roughly equivalent to a modern-day law-enforcement marshal [[/note]]. Charlemagne himself, meanwhile, crowned himself King of Lombardy. There was very little dissent.